Vacuum Breaker

ABSTRACT

A vacuum breaker includes a main body, a bushing, an elastic member, a braking member, a water stop gasket, a water inlet disk and a washer. The interior of the main body is provided with a positioning groove. The bushing is made of metallic material and has an exterior provided with a positioning protrusion secured in and combined integrally with the positioning groove of the main body. The bushing is extruded outward by an oil pressure to form the positioning protrusion. Thus, the bushing is combined with the main body integrally and will not be detached from the main body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a breaker and, more particularly, to a vacuum breaker.

2. Description of the Related Art

A tube coupling is mounted between a water inlet pipe and a water outlet pipe. A vacuum breaker is mounted on the tube coupling and allows entrance of ambient air into the tube coupling. Thus, the vacuum breaker is used to break a vacuum state in the tube coupling between the water inlet pipe and the water outlet pipe, thereby preventing the water from staying in the tube coupling and the water outlet pipe, and thereby preventing the tube coupling and the water outlet pipe from being broken when the water freezes.

The closest prior art reference of which the applicant is aware was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,245,721, entitled “TUBE COUPLING DEVICE HAVING CHECK VALVE”, wherein the body and the bushing are combined together by injection molding. The body is made of metallic material, and the bushing is made of plastic material. However, the bushing made of plastic material is easily deformed during the injection molding process due to the effect of thermal expansion and contraction, so that the bushing made of plastic material is easily stripped from the body made of metallic material, thereby producing water leakage.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a vacuum breaker having a leakproof function.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a vacuum breaker comprising a main body, a bushing mounted in the main body, an elastic member mounted in the main body, a braking member mounted in the main body, a water stop gasket mounted in the main body, a water inlet disk mounted in the main body, and a washer mounted in the main body. The main body has a periphery provided with a plurality of air vent holes located under the water stop gasket and connected to an interior of the main body. The braking member presses the water stop gasket. The elastic member pushes the braking member toward the water stop gasket. The water stop gasket has a center provided with a first water inlet hole. The water inlet disk has a periphery provided with a plurality of second water inlet holes misalign with the first water inlet hole of the water stop gasket. The interior of the main body is provided with a positioning groove. The bushing is made of metallic material and has an exterior provided with a positioning protrusion secured in and combined integrally with the positioning groove of the main body. The bushing is extruded outward by an oil pressure to form the positioning protrusion.

According to the primary advantage of the present invention, the bushing made of metallic material is not deformed during the injection molding process due to the effect of thermal expansion and contraction, so that when the bushing is extruded outward by the oil pressure to form the positioning protrusion, the positioning protrusion is secured in the positioning groove of the main body, and the bushing is combined with the main body integrally and will not be detached from the main body, thereby preventing the vacuum breaker from incurring water leakage.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a partially broken perspective cross-sectional view of a vacuum breaker in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the vacuum breaker in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional assembly view of the vacuum breaker in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic operational view of the vacuum breaker as shown in FIG. 3, wherein water enters the vacuum breaker.

FIG. 5 is a schematic operational view of the vacuum breaker as shown in FIG. 3, wherein the water flow stops.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a vacuum breaker in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a main body 10, a bushing 70 mounted in the main body 10, an elastic member 20 mounted in the main body 10, a braking member 30 mounted in the main body 10, a water stop gasket 40 mounted in the main body 10, a water inlet disk 50 mounted in the main body 10, and a washer 60 mounted in the main body 10.

The main body 10 has a periphery provided with a plurality of air vent holes 17 located under the water stop gasket 40 and connected to an interior of the main body 10. The braking member 30 presses the water stop gasket 40. The elastic member 20 pushes the braking member 30 toward the water stop gasket 40 so that the braking member 30 presses the water stop gasket 40. The water stop gasket 40 has a center provided with a first water inlet hole 41. The water inlet disk 50 has a periphery provided with a plurality of second water inlet holes 51 misalign with the first water inlet hole 41 of the water stop gasket 40. The bushing 70 has a center provided with a water outlet hole 72. The air vent holes 17 of the main body 10 are equally distant from each other. The interior of the main body 10 is provided with a positioning groove 18. The bushing 70 is made of metallic material and has an exterior provided with a positioning protrusion 74 secured in and combined integrally with the positioning groove 18 of the main body 10. In fabrication, the bushing 70 is extruded outward by an oil pressure to form the positioning protrusion 74.

In assembly, the bushing 70 is secured in the main body 10. The water stop gasket 40 is located above the braking member 30. The elastic member 20 is biased between the bushing 70 and the braking member 30 to push the braking member 30 toward the water stop gasket 40. The water inlet disk 50 is located above the water stop gasket 40. The washer 60 is located above the water inlet disk 50.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the water stop gasket 40 is made of resilient material.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the elastic member 20 is a compression spring.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the braking member 30 has a bottom provided with a plurality of retaining portions 31. The bushing 70 has a lower end provided with an inner flange 71. The elastic member 20 is mounted in the bushing 70 and is biased between the braking member 30 and the bushing 70. The elastic member 20 has an upper end retained in the retaining portions 31 of the braking member 30 and a lower end resting on the inner flange 71 of the bushing 70.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the main body 10 has a first end provided with an internal thread 11 and a second end provided with an external thread 12. The washer 60 is located between the internal thread 11 of the main body 10 and the water inlet disk 50. The positioning groove 18 of the main body 10 corresponds to the external thread 12. A first pipe 1 (see FIG. 4) is screwed into the internal thread 11 of the main body 10 and presses the washer 60, and a second pipe 2 (see FIG. 4) is screwed onto the external thread 12 of the main body 10.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the water stop gasket 40 is located between the braking member 30 and the water inlet disk 50 and has a periphery provided with an arcuate lip 42 curved upward. The water inlet disk 50 is located between the washer 60 and the water stop gasket 40.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the interior of the main body 10 is provided with a first stepped edge 13, a second stepped edge 14, a third stepped edge 15 and a fourth stepped edge 16. The bushing 70 is mounted in the first stepped edge 13 of the main body 10. The lower end of the bushing 70 is provided with an outer flange 73 resting on the first stepped edge 13 of the main body 10. The water stop gasket 40 is mounted in the second stepped edge 14 of the main body 10. The water inlet disk 50 is mounted in the third stepped edge 15 of the main body 10. The washer 60 is mounted in the fourth stepped edge 16 of the main body 10. The air vent holes 17 of the main body 10 correspond to the second stepped edge 14 of the main body 10.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bushing 70 is made of leadless copper material.

In operation, referring to FIG. 4 with reference to FIGS. 1-3, when water from the first pipe 1 flows into the main body 10, the water flows through the washer 60 and the second water inlet holes 51 of the water inlet disk 50 to press the water stop gasket 40 downward, so that the water stop gasket 40 is pushed downward to close the air vent holes 17 of the main body 10. The water then flows through the first water inlet hole 41 of the water stop gasket 40 to push the braking member 30 downward and to compress the elastic member 20. The water then flows through the bushing 70 into the second pipe 2 and flows outward from the second pipe 2.

On the contrary, referring to FIG. 5 with reference to FIGS. 1-3, when the water from the first pipe 1 stops flowing into the main body 10, the elastic member 20 pushes the braking member 30 which pushes the water stop gasket 40 so that the water stop gasket 40 is pressed upward to open the air vent holes 17 of the main body 10. In such a manner, ambient air flows through the air vent holes 17 of the main body 10 and the bushing 70 into the second pipe 2 to break a vacuum state in the main body 10, so that the water remaining in the main body 10 is drained outward from the second pipe 2, thereby preventing the water from staying in the main body 10, and thereby preventing the second pipe 2 from being broken when the water freezes.

Accordingly, the bushing 70 made of metallic material is not deformed during the injection molding process due to the effect of thermal expansion and contraction, so that when the bushing 70 is extruded outward by the oil pressure to form the positioning protrusion 74, the positioning protrusion 74 is secured in the positioning groove 18 of the main body 10, and the bushing 70 is combined with the main body 10 integrally and will not be detached from the main body 10, thereby preventing the vacuum breaker from incurring water leakage.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention. 

1. A vacuum breaker comprising: a main body; a bushing mounted in the main body; an elastic member mounted in the main body; a braking member mounted in the main body; a water stop gasket mounted in the main body; a water inlet disk mounted in the main body; and a washer mounted in the main body; wherein: the main body has a periphery provided with a plurality of air vent holes located under the water stop gasket and connected to an interior of the main body; the braking member presses the water stop gasket; the elastic member pushes the braking member toward the water stop gasket; the water stop gasket has a center provided with a first water inlet hole; the water inlet disk has a periphery provided with a plurality of second water inlet holes misalign with the first water inlet hole of the water stop gasket; the interior of the main body is provided with a positioning groove; the bushing is made of metallic material and has an exterior provided with a positioning protrusion secured in and combined integrally with the positioning groove of the main body; and the bushing is extruded outward by an oil pressure to form the positioning protrusion.
 2. The vacuum breaker of claim 1, wherein the water stop gasket is made of resilient material.
 3. The vacuum breaker of claim 1, wherein the elastic member is a compression spring.
 4. The vacuum breaker of claim 1, wherein: the braking member has a bottom provided with a plurality of retaining portions; the bushing has a lower end provided with an inner flange; the elastic member is mounted in the bushing and is biased between the braking member and the bushing; and the elastic member has an upper end retained in the retaining portions of the braking member and a lower end resting on the inner flange of the bushing.
 5. The vacuum breaker of claim 1, wherein the main body has a first end provided with an internal thread and a second end provided with an external thread.
 6. The vacuum breaker of claim 1, wherein the water stop gasket has a periphery provided with an arcuate lip curved upward.
 7. The vacuum breaker of claim 1, wherein: the interior of the main body is provided with a first stepped edge, a second stepped edge, a third stepped edge and a fourth stepped edge; the bushing is mounted in the first stepped edge of the main body; the lower end of the bushing is provided with an outer flange resting on the first stepped edge of the main body; the water stop gasket is mounted in the second stepped edge of the main body; the water inlet disk is mounted in the third stepped edge of the main body; and the washer is mounted in the fourth stepped edge of the main body.
 8. The vacuum breaker of claim 1, wherein the bushing is made of leadless copper material. 